NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:		Number of records for 2025 = 3
Added in 2025-00-00 from a previous year = 1 (2022-06-18)

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Furtive Forktail Eastern Forktail
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Rambur's Forktail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Occupies the eastern 60% of the state, with scattered records in the western Piedmont; only two county records (Avery and Jackson) for the mountains. Thus, it is unclear if it occurs statewide, though it certainly is very scarce in the western third of the state.

Abundance

Common to locally very common in the lower Coastal Plain, particularly around brackish pools along the coast. Generally common elsewhere in the Coastal Plain, but locally abundant in the Sandhills (such as at the McKinney Lake fish hatchery). Uncommon to locally common in the eastern and southeastern Piedmont, rare in the central Piedmont, and very rare farther westward.

Flight

The flight is from mid-March into late November, at least in the Coastal Plain, sparingly from late February and to mid-December. In the Piedmont, the flight begins in early April, and ends by late October. The two mountain flight dates are in mid-June and late July.

Habitat

Bay lakes, haline pools and shores, and heavily vegetated ponds.

Behavior

Tends to perch on low vegetation in the open, where easily seen.

Comments

This is one of the few damselflies that is quite common along and near the immediate coast. The range in the western half of the state still needs much elucidation, especially as there is just one recent record west of Orange and Mecklenburg counties, for Jackson County.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 17:33:38

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Rambur's Forktail 41 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Mark Shields Comment: Anson, 2025-05-01, Pee Dee River at Red Hill Boating Access		Photo 2 by: Al Hooks Comment: Johnston; C, 2025-05-01, Wilsons Mills Rd 1.3 mile S of US70/I42
	Photo 3 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-23, Bay Tree Natural Area, Harrells, NC - 2:20P - in sedges at lake edge		Photo 4 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2024-05-16, At private pond SW of Concord. iNaturalist record #216181777 - Mating pair.
	Photo 5 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2023-05-11, At private pond SW of Concord. iNaturalist record #161078926 - Female		Photo 6 by: Mark Shields Comment: Greene, 2022-06-20, Contentnea Creek at Daughtry's Boat Landing, Hookerton
	Photo 7 by: Jeff Niznik Comment: New Hanover, 2022-06-18, Carolina Beach (town), iNaturalist #122906366 - Female		Photo 8 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-05-24, Concord, private pond; iNaturalist Record #118574419
	Photo 9 by: R. Newman Comment: Carteret, 2021-10-15, FOMA - MerVapLt. Male @ -76.682554, 34.696094		Photo 10 by: Hunter Phillips Comment: Wayne, 2021-06-27, - CLNE
	Photo 11 by: Lori Arent Comment: Granville, 2021-05-23, Falls Lake shoreline, at Brickhouse Road access		Photo 12 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-05-06, Lake McKinney (lake & hatcheries)
	Photo 13 by: Kyle Kittelberger Comment: Dare; OBM, 2020-05-26, Pea Island NWR, South Pond		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2020-05-05, Stones Creek Game Land, Dry Lake area
	Photo 15 by: Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf Comment: Richmond; C, 2020-04-26, Lake McKinney fish hatchery - Many mated pairs		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Craven, 2018-06-16, Swift Creek; 7 km section between Cool Springs Boating Access Area and NC 43 bridge, by kayak - females
	Photo 17 by: Mark Shields Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Edenton National Fish Hatchery		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields Comment: Edgecombe, 2018-05-25, Etheridge Pond, Tar River Game Land
	Photo 19 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, Cloudy and rainy all day - male and andromorph female in wheel		Photo 20 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-05-19, McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery ponds - Immature heteromorph females
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Lenoir, 2018-05-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston		Photo 22 by: C. Rose Comment: Beaufort, 2017-09-27, Goose Creek State Park
	Photo 23 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Lee, 2017-08-25, Watson Lake at Town Park, Broadway. - Males, including one preying on a teneral female Variable Dancer.		Photo 24 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-08-12, Seen around retaining pond in SW Mecklenburg County
	Photo 25 by: Mark Shields Comment: Washington, 2017-06-16, Conaby Creek, from boating access area to 2.25 km upstream by kayak		Photo 26 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2017-04-12, Waccamaw River from Pireway Boating Access Area to 6 km upstream
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: Tyrrell , 2016-09-17, Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk, Columbia		Photo 28 by: Mark Shields Comment: Columbus, 2016-07-22, Lake Waccamaw, southern end between dam and pier
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: Hyde, 2016-06-19, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge		Photo 30 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2016-05-08, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest. Photo of immature female.